Plans for demolition of former Sheffield John Lewis car park

The 400-space multi-storey car park is "in a poor condition", Sheffield City Council said

Plans have been unveiled to spend £1.3m on demolishing the former John Lewis car park in Sheffield.

The 400-space multi-storey will be knocked down to make the site more attractive to developers and reduce the number of vehicles in the city centre.

Sheffield City Council said the car park was "in a poor condition" and would be "difficult to convert to any other use".

The Barker's Pool store was one of eight closed by John Lewis in 2021.

In 2020 the company surrendered its old lease for the site to the council for £3m. In return, the firm was granted a new 20-year lease at a lower rent.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the council's capital spending report said the cost of demolition would come from prudential borrowing and be mitigated via the lease surrender payment the council received.

The report said the car park is in a poor condition with cracked concrete and corroded steel beams and added it would be difficult to convert to other uses.

John Lewis closed its Barker's Pool store in March 2021

Although a recent public consultation on the future of the building showed a preference for demolition and replacement with a smaller property and outdoor space, the council said it is exploring all options.

The authority is in the process of assessing proposals from developers.

Work to remove asbestos and strip out the former store is expected to be completed by Spring 2023.